Requirements for Approval

The ACT Houston Alternative Certification Program is a private program offered in HOUSTON, DALLAS, and AUSTIN for those who have already earned a Bachelor’s Degree from an accredited university. If you are now in college, have been approved for graduation by your university advisor, and will graduate at the end of this semester, you can apply to any of our locations NOW – even before you graduate. That will allow you to begin the initial steps to start your teaching career immediately after receiving your degree.

The ACT Houston/Dallas/Austin program attracts applicants from many different backgrounds and professions, all with the same goal of becoming a certified teacher. The average age of ACT Houston/Dallas/Austin participants is 35-37. However, as long as you hold a Bachelor’s Degree you are neither too old, nor too young to jump start your teaching career. And, no matter what your major or area of specialization was during your university years, you can qualify for admission to the program.

Pre-requisite RequirementsWe will schedule an appointment for you to meet with us personally to determine your eligibility for receiving a Letter of Approval. First, however, we need to make sure that you have the necessary pre-requisites:

Bachelor’s Degree from an accredited university. Your transcript will show the date that your degree was conferred. Bring all of your OFFICIAL transcripts if you transferred to one or more colleges or universities.

2.5 cumulative grade point average OR a 2.5 gpa for your final 60 hours of coursework

Many people earned their best grades in their final years! However, if you have concerns about your grades, you can still schedule a time to meet with ACT Houston staff members for their calculation and determination of your gpa.

2. Schedule an appointment to meet with us! Your appointment will include:

Interview with an ACT staff memberWe will visit with you about your desire to teach and provide information about teacher certification.

ACT Houston/Dallas/Austin ApplicationYou can download the application form by clicking on the “download here” link at the bottom of this page and complete it prior to your appointment.

Watson-Glaser Critical Thinking Skills TestNo need to be anxious about this test. It requires no preparation or studying. You will not be asked to solve math problems or recall dates in history. Instead, using information in statements that are provided, you will select the most appropriate decision. This test takes about 30 minutes to complete. There is no pass or fail. You will have two opportunities to meet our minimum score. As soon as you finish the test, we will score it while you are there, so that you will know your eligibility for enrolling in the program.

Review your university transcript(s) & TExES Content Test scoreLet us know what you would like to teach and we will guide you on that option and perhaps suggest others that may provide the opportunity to begin teaching as soon as possible. However, passing the TExES Content Test for your desired certification is the first step on your action plan.

Let’s put it all together!Requirements for approval to begin the state requirements for teacher certification begin with . . .Passing the TExES Content Test by PACT for your certification areaYour appointment at the ACT office: + Completed application (download here) + Official university transcript with degree/date, all coursework, & GPA + Interview with ACT program coordinator or director + Minimum score on Watson-Glaser Critical Thinking Skills test Eligibility for approval to participate in the ACT Houston / Dallas / Austin program